Mindy Skunberg wins Jamestown school board seat amid budget deficit

Mindy Skunberg’s election to the Jamestown Public School Board gives parents and taxpayers a new voice just as the district confronts a $1.3 million budget deficit and a search for a new superintendent. Skunberg finished with 1,535 votes in the June 9 primary, joining incumbents Heidi Heim Larson and Jason Rohr as the top three vote-getters for the Jamestown city seats.

The result matters because the next months will force the board into decisions that affect classrooms, staffing, student services and building needs across a district of about 2,000 students. Jamestown Public Schools operates with about a $17 million annual fund, so even a midyear deficit of $1.3 million puts pressure on the board to balance cuts, preserve core programs and keep public confidence steady while it manages the transition.

Skunberg will take her seat when the board holds its annual meeting July 20. That will put a new member on a board that also kept two familiar faces, giving Jamestown a mix of continuity and change as budget planning for the next school year moves forward. For voters, the outcome suggested support for keeping experienced hands in place while also bringing in at least one fresh perspective before the district makes its next round of financial and leadership decisions.

The superintendent search adds another layer of urgency. Robert Lech, who had led Jamestown Public Schools since 2013, left to become secondary assistant superintendent for West Fargo Public Schools. His departure ends a long tenure and leaves the board responsible for finding the next leader while it also deals with fiscal pressure and the operational demands of a large district.

Six candidates ran for the three city seats on the board, with Melissa Gleason and Steve Veldkamp unopposed for the two rural seats. The contest drew attention before Election Day through a candidate forum hosted by the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce at the North Dakota Farmers Union building, where voters heard from Heidi Heim Larson, Jason Rohr, Chris Kramlich, Jennifer Kross, Max Post van der Burg and Skunberg. Board members are paid $5,000 a year, while the board president is paid $6,000.

Skunberg’s win now shifts the question from who would fill the seat to how the board will handle its first tests. Families and taxpayers will be watching whether the new majority can stabilize leadership, close the budget gap and set priorities that keep Jamestown Public Schools on track heading into the 2026-27 year.